


Love like tomorrow doesn't exist

by Biket



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Falling In Love, Flufftober, Growing Up Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Training Camp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:35:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26919694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biket/pseuds/Biket
Summary: « Because every second I spend with you is time I'll cherish forever. »Flufftober 2020 challenge, prompts are in the chapter titles, tags will be edited with every new addition.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25
Collections: Flufftober2020





	1. In the shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Found out there was a Flufftober event just today and I actually got motivation for it! (if you're a Death Note fan, check [my friend's work](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26911639/chapters/65671099) for this fluffy month)  
> I'll do my best to be on time but we're already on day 9 and I also have to deal with a very unpleasant thing named college so yeah, no promises...
> 
> Enjoy!

Living in the shadows was second nature for Yamaguchi. 

He had always been the quiet kid, the boy who didn’t talk much, always looking at his feet when walking, always talking shyly, and never taking the initiative for anything. All his childhood could be summed up by that - being quiet. Except he isn’t, had never been. He simply needed a push in the right direction, something to show him he could be himself even when he felt like he might disturb others. 

Sure, he didn’t expect this something - or actually this someone - to be a tall blonde guy whose first word to him was ‘pathetic’ but anyway. Life wasn’t predictable after all and in the end, Tadashi was happy he found Kei that day, happy he had found him again when he entered the gym in search of a new club to join. While being in the shadow had always been convenient for him who never liked being the center of attention, it felt good experiencing something new, getting to know someone else, and having a new friend he could talk to about pretty much anything. 

It’s under Tsukishima’s gaze that Yamaguchi first experiences what it is, to be in the spotlight. It’s not intentional, he’s sure Tsukishima himself doesn’t notice it. But Tadashi can’t help it. Whenever he’s with him, there’s just something about the way he gives him all his attention, waits for him to finish talking before saying anything, never interrupting him. There’s something heartwarming in the way Tadashi feels like he can finally be his true bright self when he’s with his best friend. Even when they grow up and face the challenges of middle school, they’re still together but things are different.

Yamaguchi isn’t the one hiding in the shadows anymore, that’s what Tsukishima does now. It’s been years but the freckled boy can’t seem to make any progress with his best friend so he kind of gave up. Now he’s just trying to make him smile when he can and enjoy the time they spend together. He avoids talking too much about Kei’s family and he does his best not to ask how things are with Akiteru. It’s still strained, maybe it will always be. Even when they’re passing the high school gates for the first time, things are still the same. 

Yamaguchi seems to be hiding in Tsukishima’s shadow, that’s what everyone says when really, it’s Tsukishima who hides in the shadows of his own mind, shielding himself with music and his best friend.

But the freckled boy didn’t forget how shy he can be and how hard it can be for him to stand in the light when Tsukishima’s not at his side to help him with his worries. The first time he feels like going back into hiding is when their coach decides who were gonna be the regulars in the volleyball team, when he heard he would be on the bench whereas all of the other first years would be playing right before him. It hurt. It hurt but he could understand, there was nothing extraordinary to him after all, why would he be playing with the others? Maybe it was better to hide in the shadows once again, to watch from afar what would happen and not feel responsible for it.

Except now that he knew what it felt like to live in the light, he knew he wouldn’t be happy to go back to how he behaved back in elementary school. He knew he didn’t want to lose himself once again in this easy way he now kind of despised. Sure it would be hard, it would be tiring and it meant he’d have to put a lot of effort into his actions but somehow, he would earn his place in the team, he promised himself that day. 

And earning his spot he did. 

He worked through every new challenge presented to him, always reaching then surpassing his limits and every success gave him a new confidence he was determined to keep. But in all his efforts, Yamaguchi didn’t really know what motivated him the most. Was it his desire to be recognized as a great player just like his teammates and not just as another simple player? Or was it this warmth he felt every time Tsukki would tell him not to mess up, the small smiles he always gave him for every service earning them a point, the smug look on his face when they pulled off their serve and block move against Nekoma and all the little things he did that made Yamaguchi feel like butterflies were living in his entire body?

 _Love._ Yamaguchi learns what it means to fall in love every time he’s at Tsukishima’s side. He learns and learns and learns again, never getting tired of how it feels, always glad to find the butterflies are still there and thriving. His love is strong he can feel it, it’s something he cultivated for a few years without even being aware of it but it’s there and it’s real. It’s real but this feeling is growing in the shadows. Yamaguchi doesn’t know how to tell his best friend he’s in love with him and maybe there’s no right way to tell him but he just doesn’t feel ready yet. 

But when has love ever cared if one was ready or not? Love is far from being a calm and obedient feeling, it comes in waves, crashing down one’s heart and never really leaving. Love is a feeling meant to spill and burst when you'd least expect it, it’s not something that conveniently hides in the shadows and Yamaguchi learns that the hard way.

“Tsukki, I think I love you,” he suddenly says one afternoon when they’re alone under the big tree rooted behind the gym. They’re supposed to be doing their homework but they’re listening to Tsukishima’s music instead, their knees touching, Yamaguchi’s head on Tsukishima’s shoulder. He didn’t plan on confessing, still wanted to wait a few weeks if not a few months but well, his burning heart had decided otherwise.

“I know.”

The smile and the warmth he can hear in Tsukishima’s voice is enough for Yamaguchi to forget the shadows dancing in the back of his mind, enough to forget about all his insecurities. 

And for that maybe, just maybe, he thinks, he should have stopped living in those damn shadows sooner.


	2. Comfort

The place was quiet and the atmosphere almost stifling. Tsukishima hated being so tense he couldn't fall asleep right when his head hit the pillow. But what he hated the most was being in an argument with Yamaguchi and what just happened a few hours ago was indeed an argument in his opinion. And as he lied in bed, staring at the ceiling with a bored expression on his face, he couldn't help but overthink what his best friend had told him. Or screamed at his face, that was more exact. _What more do you need than pride?_ What more did he need? He didn't know.

Pride had never been his priority when it came to volleyball, at least not for a few years now. Not since he had seen Akiteru's on the other side of that gym, cheering for a team he pretended to be the ace for the sake of his younger brother. Or for his own ego. Tsukishima had been so proud of him back then, bragging about his cool older brother, the ace of a powerhouse. But every ounce of this pride had been forgotten once the truth had been exposed and Kei had never been able to be proud about anything related to volleyball ever since. Not enough to put in the effort needed to keep up with his team, at least. 

He didn't understand. He was so convinced it was just a club, just a few lines in your memoir to feel like you were an athlete in your previous years. Of course, he knew how important volleyball could be to other people, he didn't understand it either but he knew. He saw it in the way Hinata was always pushing himself again and again even if it seemed pointless, in the way Asahi always tried to make up for the time he left the team, in the way Nishinoya would blindly dive to save the ball no matter what. But mostly, he could see it in the way Yamaguchi was always practicing his serve. He never told his friend he didn't understand why he felt the need to have extra practice with a guy they barely knew. He wasn't a regular. Why bother? 

_What more do you need than pride?_

Tsukishima pressed his palms to his eyes. Maybe pride wasn't such a bad thing after all. Maybe it was worth it. He wouldn't say it out loud though, he just couldn't. But he still had to apologize to Yamaguchi, somehow. He still had to tell him he was sorry for thinking it was silly of him to go to such lengths to be better even though the freckled boy had no idea about those thoughts. He had to apologize for every time he had wished Yamaguchi would just stop doing extra practice and would spend time with him instead. But he was too proud to admit it, what a cruel irony. 

"You can't sleep, can you?" a familiar voice said beside him.

The middle blocker turned to face Yamaguchi who obviously couldn't sleep either. Around them, everyone seemed to be snoring, too absorbed in their dreams to notice anything else. Tsukishima shook his head as an answer, not sure if his voice wouldn't betray him. He didn't know how to say sorry, wasn't used to it. Usually, he didn't need to. Yamaguchi always knew when he was kidding or not, when his words were meant to be harsh or not and he would always utter a 'Sorry Tsukki!' in every situation. Tsukishima on the other hand wasn't the type to apologize. Not with words at least.

"Yeah," he simply said before looking away. He couldn't read the emotions on Yamaguchi's face and it was troubling him. He didn't know if his best friend was truly mad at him or if his outburst was just meant to shake him to its core and be inspirational. 

He hoped it was the second option. He didn't want to be on bad terms with Yamaguchi. 

"You big baby."

Hearing those words, Tsukishima almost let out an offended 'excuse me?' but remembered they weren't alone and he really didn't want to deal with grumpy and barely awake teammates. Dealing with them during the day was already enough. Looking at Yamaguchi again, he could see his amused expression and that only made him pout in annoyance. That only proved his friend's point but it didn't matter. If Yamaguchi was teasing him then that meant he wasn't angry at him. Not much at least.

"Shut up Yamaguchi," he mumbled.

The freckled boy snickered. Another sign that he didn't seem to be bothered anymore by Tsukishima's behavior. But the blond boy still needed to make sure of it, still needed to hear it. 

"Are we okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"I can't always guess what's on your mind Tsukki, you know that right?" Yamaguchi frowned. 

Tsukishima stayed silent at that. Of course, he was aware Yamaguchi was no mind reader and couldn't know everything crossing his mind but still. He didn't know how to put his worries in words when it already seemed way too ridiculous in his own head. Thankfully, Yamaguchi seemed to notice his intern turmoil. The freckled boy sighed then gently pushed his best friend so that he'd have his back turned on him. Soon enough, he had an arm around Tsukishima's waist while his other hand ruffled absentmindedly through his hair, just like they did when they were kids and one of them was upset. Just like they did the night Kei learned the truth about Akiteru.

"We're okay," Yamaguchi said.

Tsukishima hadn't realized how tense and nervous he was until he relaxed when he heard those words, leaning into Yamaguchi's touch in his hair. He let out a relieved sigh then grabbed his friend's hand that was resting against his stomach, not doing anything. He smiled when Yamaguchi squeezed back. They truly were okay. 

"I'm still mad at you," Yamaguchi huffed after a moment, his breath tickling Tsukishima's neck. His voice was one of a child whose mom just scolded. _Cute._

“I told you you were cool,” the middle blocker pointed out as if that statement alone would convince Yamaguchi to forgive him for all the trouble he’d been giving him lately. 

“You’re right, you’re forgiven. Now sleep, I’m tired.”

Tsukishima laughed lightly and snuggled closer to Yamaguchi’s warmth, finally letting the tiredness of the day wash over him. _We are okay._


End file.
